Northern Kentucky high schools swept the field at the recent Kentucky High School
Speech League Regional Speech Tournament, held on Saturday, Feb. 7. at Beechwood Elementary and High School in Fort Mitchell.
The regional tournaments serve as the final step before state championships later this February and into March.
“It’s just so important in this day and age that our students develop their critical thinking skills,” said Molly Seifert, Beechwood coach and regional manager of the Kentucky High School Speech League, adding that speech teams served as a way for students to cultivate their reasoning capacities.
Events are divided between junior (i.e. middle school) and senior high school divisions. There are 12 event categories in the junior division and 14 categories in the senior division. Fourteen schools both in and out of Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties are contained the league’s River Region.
Beechwood Middle School took first place in the junior division team category. Highlands High School, on the other hand, took first in the senior division team category.
A full list of winners and the schools they represent in both team and individual categories is below. Junior division state champions will occur on Feb. 27 and 28 in Florence at Boone County High School. Senior high division championships will take place March 13 and 14 in Murray.
Junior Division Team Award:
- 1st place: Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Highlands Middle School
- 3rd place: Grant County Middle School
Junior Division Individual Event Winners:
- Radio Broadcasting
- 1st place: Jasper Bunte, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Eric Tafirenyika, Beechwood Middle School
- Declamation:
- 1st place: Emery Gentry, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Zachary Wambaja, Beechwood Middle School
- Dramatic Interpretation:
- 1st place: Cameron Johnson, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Sophia Noah, Highlands Middle School
- Duo Acting
- 1st place: Emmy Auciello & Avery Orocio, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Celia Koch & Emery Gentry, Beechwood Middle School
- Humorous Interpretation
- 1st place: Parker Klopp, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Sophia Noah, Highlands Middle School
- Impromptu Speaking
- 1st place: Seth Paulson, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Carys Hildebrant, Beechwood Middle School
- Improvisational Duo
- 1st place: Olivia Davis & Cameron Johnson, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Harper Luebbers & Sophia Noah, Highlands Middle School
- Original Oratory
- 1st place: Olivia Davis, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Carys Hildebrant, Beechwood Middle School
- Poetry
- 1st place: Ada-Lynn Ballou, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Celia Koch, Beechwood Middle School
- Prose
- 1st place: Rose Paulson, Beechwood Middle School
- 2nd place: Brett Pfaehler, Beechwood Middle School
- Storytelling
- 1st place: Harper Luebbers, Highlands Middle School
- 2nd place: Olivia Davis, Beechwood Middle School
Senior Division Team Award:
- 1st place: Highlands High School
- 2nd place Beechwood High School
- 3rd place: Boone County High School
Senior Division Individual Event Winners:
- Radio Broadcasting
- 1st place: Nathaniel Reeves, Scott County High School
- 2nd place: Bella Slone, Beechwood High School
- Declamation:
- 1st place: Mallory Bachmann, Williamstown High School
- 2nd place: Liesel Nader, Beechwood High School
- Dramatic Interpretation:
- 1st place: Riley Watson, Ryle High School
- 2nd place: Maren Platt, Beechwood High School
- Duo Interpretation
- 1st place: Emil Sztanyo & Megan Daly, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Evelyn Lewis & Steven Woods, Boone County High School
- Extemporaneous Speaking
- 1st place: James Owen Taylor, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Aiden Seiter, Boone County High School
- Humorous Interpretation
- 1st place: Emil Sztanyo, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Jordan Cox, Boone County High School
- Impromptu Speaking
- 1st place: Hannah Smith, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Nathaniel Reeves, Scott County High School
- Improvisational Duo
- 1st place: Noah Varland & Jacob Hagerty, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Harris Schultz & Carson Schulte, Highlands High School
- Informative Speaking
- 1st place: Coen Yap, Beechwood High School
- 2nd place: Prisha Shaw, Ryle High School
- Original Oratory
- 1st place: Naina Adari, Ryle High School
- 2nd place: Maddie Bottomley, Highlands High School
- Poetry
- 1st place: Liesel Nader, Beechwood High School
- 2nd place: Chloe Kuebel, Beechwood High School
- Programmed Oral Interpretation
- 1st place: Jordan Cox, Boone County High School
- 2nd place: Guage Golji, Dixie Heights High School
- Prose
- 1st place: Charlotte Weghorst, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Isaac Paulson, Beechwood High School
- Storytelling
- 1st place: Carson Schulte, Highlands High School
- 2nd place: Isaac Paulson, Beechwood High School